Ruth Institute Blog

from Helen Alvare

from Kristina Arriaga of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

If you are a New Yorker, you will be happy to know that your tax dollars are hard at work persecuting seven small, family-owned shops in Brooklyn.

Why?

Because they posted this at their stores:

No shorts.

No barefoot.

No sleeveless.

No low-cut necklines.

Thank you. Read more…

from Helen Alvare

I’m being told by members of Congress that both friendly and “unfriendly” members of Congress are not hearing enough from their constituents on the importance of conscience protection. As you know, we need to press the government through every channel possible to try to stop the HHS Mandate. Even friendly members need to hear from you so that the conscience protection legislation stays on their radar screen. Read more…

from Helen Alvare

First, thank you for continuing to “keep me in the loop” regarding developments concerning religious freedom, abortion and contraception within your various states and expertises.   I get a few emails a week containing articles you’ve drafted or news or technical information; these gets invested right back into the work of WSFT.  So THANKS!

Second, I just returned from a bunch of talks on women’s freedom and religious freedom in Central and Western Europe.  I told bishops’ conferences, academic audiences and members of the European Parliament about our work together!   I came away with two impressions. Read more…

from Helen Alvare

I’ve been working on several projects that have occupied all my little brain cells, including at the United Nations and around the U.S.

Rather than recount individual developments, I want to remark upon a few trends I have noticed. Perhaps these remarks might provide “talking points” when you are confronting arguments nowadays equating liberty for women with women’s (and girls!) sexual license. Read more…

by  Helen Alvaré

The latest proposed amendment to the HHS mandate still draws on empirically unsound data and violates religious freedom.

The controversy over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contraceptive mandate is bound to increase, thanks to its latest proposed fix announced last Friday. The rules proposed to be amended are those issued by HHS last year, requiring employers—including religious institutions and individuals and corporations that embrace religious principles—to provide, without co-pay, contraceptives, sterilization, and emergency contraceptives that can destroy a human embryo. Read more…

from Helen Alvare

Well, it’s hard to believe it’s been almost 4 weeks since the March for Life. Thanks to all who braved the  snow to come to our gathering afterwards. I was delighted to meet you! And I hope you took as much heart as I did, from just being together.

In case you would like to meet again, I have attached below, a list of the next several months’ speaking engagements in the U.S. Read more…

by Sheila Liaugminas

The basic mandate that employers with religious objections to the HHS contraceptive coverage still have to comply or pay punitive fines still stands. The latest fig leaf changes little, but it took a few days to wade through the dense and convoluted legalese the government issued to essentially say ‘we’re not willing to budge, more than an inch.’

There is nothing new about the administration deciding who gets exemptions and who doesn’t, and that’s the main point. Read more…

From Helen Alvare

Once again, the Obama Administration has delivered an unacceptable “compromise” regarding the HHS Mandate and religious freedom.

Today the White House expanded the exemption to church-affiliated non-profit organizations, but refused to extend it to individuals and for profit business owners—such as the Greens with Hobby Lobby.

I have reviewed it and have several takeaways: Read more…